Oh Children III: Journey to the Past
by Alice Inamorata
Summary: Through their years their love blossomed and matured. But even if you love someone with all your heart, you let them be happy with who they want to be with, even if it's not with you. Harry/Hermione.


**Authors Note: Well, here it is everyone! Hours later it's finally done! It does skip year to year, and I apologize ahead of time if the quotes aren't exact and if some things aren't exactly like the movie. I did put some additional stuff in there to add to the Harry/Hermione storyline. So enjoy and don't forget to follow me on Tumblr!  
>aliceinamorata . tumblr . com<strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, the series, characters or plots. I do however own my own ideas. I wish I did own HP though...damn you J.K Rowling.**

* * *

><p><strong>Oh Children III: Journey to the Past<strong>

In the beginning, I was just a boy. Age eleven. Just received my Hogwarts letter and with great excitement I was escorted to Kings Cross by Hagrid. "'ere's your ticket, 'Arry. I best be goin' now. Hogwarts business."

I looked at the ticket. Was this a joke? It read 'Platform 9 ¾.

"Hagrid, this ticket says nine and three quarters. There's no such thing, is there?" I turned around, my small eyes gazing through black circular glasses that became my signature through the years. Hagrid was gone, and I was alone to push my large items through the station.

I asked an attendant where the platform was. He laughed. "Nine and three quarters? Think you're bein' funny?"

At this point I had no idea what to do. Platform nine and three quarters, a screeching owl crying in a cage as I rolled my trolley through the courts. The numbers passed me with a couple seconds apart until I saw a flash of red hair.

"He's not Fred, I am!"

"And you call yourself our mother."

They ran straight at the barrier, disappearing within a blink of an eye. I shook my head, staring at the barrier, blinking again to make sure I didn't miss it, as the second twin ran at the barrier and disappeared. Did they seriously just run through a barrier into another world?

"Excuse me!" I called, walking up with my items. "Can you tell me how to…uh…"

"To get onto the platform? Oh yes of course! It's Ron's first year too."

Ron smiled; a short, freckle-faced boy that became my best mate. Hours later, he was stuffing his face with pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs were flying out the window, and things were being explained. I reached forward, grabbing a small bag of what looked like jelly beans.

"They really mean it when they say every flavor," he said, spitting small pieces of food, "There's spinach and tripe…" he put another bite of pastie in his mouth, "They even have a vomit flavored one."

We were alone in our own world, undisturbed by people gasping, whispering, 'That's harry Potter!'

That is until a small girl knocked at our door, opening it. Ron had his wand pointed at his pet rat Scabbers, getting ready to show me a spell his brother Percy taught him.

"Are you getting ready to do a spell? Let's see then." Her nose was up in the air, her black robes tied around her small frame. She had beautiful brown eyes, eyelashes that touched the top of her eye socket. Her arms were crossed over her arms in a matter of fact way and couldn't help but admit she was pretty irrigardless of her untamed mane of hair.

"Sunshine, daisies…"

I could sum this up in two words: Ron failed.

The girl smirked, "Are you sure that's a real spell? Well, it's not very good is it? I've tried a few simple spells myself and they've all worked for me. For example," with an air of confidence, she pushed her way between us, sitting next to Ron and across from me. She pointed her wand at me, causing me to become slightly scared. I didn't know this girl, but I didn't mind looking at her. "Occulus Reparo."

A small tweaking sound emulated from her wand accompanied by some smoke. The large crack in my left lens disappeared. Pulling my glasses off of my face, I examined them, astonished.

Cute and smart.

She gasped. "Why you're Harry Potter!"

I knew it would come eventually.

"I'm Hermione Granger!" She turned to Ron, not seeming to care, "and you are..?"

"Ron Weasley." His mouth was still full of pumpkin pasties.

"Pleasure." She turned back to me with a smile on her face before standing up. "You two should change into your robes. We're ought to be arriving soon."

Ron looked to me when she left, probably wanting me to say 'wow, she's annoying' or something similar. But I was still in shock. My eyes didn't leave the door.

Hermione took a seat next to me at the welcoming dinner. The food was infinite, constantly appearing when a slice was taken. Ghosts of the four houses were floating through the hall and Hermione turned around, looking at one of them.

"You're Nearly Headless Nick!" Ron called.

Nick spoke back, "I prefer Sir Nicolas if you don't mind."

"Nearly headless?" She addressed Ron, turning back to the ghost. "How can someone be nearly headless?"

"Well, like this!" Nick replied, grabbing his full head of hair and pulling it to the side. His ghostly guts were exposed, making Hermione cringe and push away her food. I laughed, patting her back, amazed at the surroundings. I still couldn't take it all in. I was a wizard…there is a world beside the human world. I was just the happiest I have ever been.

It was our first Charms lesson that blew everything out of proportion. Ron made fun of Hermione, calling her a 'nightmare' and commenting, "no wonder she doesn't have any friends!" The boys around me laugh, but I found the comment spiteful and thought that he was just jealous. I then felt a body run into me, a flash of curly brown hair, arms cradling books. I heard her sobs and my heart fell into my stomach.

I looked to Ron and he looked to me. Sure, now he feels bad.

Hermione was rumored to be in the Girls Bathroom crying which explained why she wasn't at dinner that night. She was constantly on my mind; part of me wondered if I should go after her and ask if she's alright. My thoughts were ruined at Professor Quirrel ran through the hall screaming, "TROLL!"

It wasn't short after that the dining hall erupted in fearful screams as everyone scrambled for the door.

I only worried about Hermione. She didn't know about the troll.

I pulled Ron aside as we were running to our dormitories, "We need to warn Hermione!" I cried, "She doesn't know!"

Running through the hallways, we stopped as we saw a large, green monster, dragging a club towards the girls bathroom. We stopped and stared, for we had never seen a fully grown troll before. In a rush of adrenaline, I ran forward, behind the troll.

She was already screaming for help and there were sounds of smashing ceramic. When we arrived, numerous stalls had been broken.

"Hermione, MOVE!" I screamed, Ron and I attempting to distract the monster with flinging pieces of broken wood at it's head. Hermione managed to scramble to hide under the sinks. The troll noticed the movement immediately and sent his club flying through the sink, missing the girl by a thread.

In an action of anger, I ran at the troll, grabbing the club and holding onto it as I was pulled up. Jumping on the trolls shoulders, I rammed my wand up the nose, stunning him for a single moment until he pulled me by my feet, attemping numerous times to beat me to death.

"SWISH AND FLICK!" I heard Hermione cry.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron yelled, holding the club in midair. My eyes opened wide.

Ron actually did something right.

I was dropped to my feet and removed my wand. Hermione flew into my arms, hugging me tightly.

The professors ran into the girls bathroom to see a fully grown troll on the ground, unconscious.

Professor McGonagall questioned what we were doing. When I went to answer, Hermione grabbed my hand. "It was I who went looking for the troll. I had read about them and thought I could handle it. I was wrong…if Harry and Ron hadn't come looking for me, I'd probably be dead."

That wasn't the last time we put Hermione in a dangerous situation. After doing numerous hours of research, after Christmas break we went looking for the Sorcerers Stone. We arrived in a room with a harp playing a beautiful melody, a sleeping three headed dog snoring loudly, blowing our hair around our faces. When the harp stopped playing, we were faced with a snapping, foaming at the mouth canine. We screamed loudly, turning around and slamming the door shut.

Hermione turned to us.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

I just smirked, walking up to our dorms and falling asleep.

Months later, we were seconds from finding the Sorcerers Stone. Ron laid between us, battered and bruised. I cringed at the fact her hand was on his chest protectively.

"You're a great wizard, Harry." She whispered to me, wearing her red dress. I smiled at her.

"I'm nothing compared to you."

"Books! And cleverness…there are more important things," her hand smoothed over mine. Her skin was like silk against my broken, callused hands. "Friendship and bravery…and…Oh, Harry. Be careful."

She gave me one last smile before I went forward without her, still feeling the warmth of her touch when I woke up in the hospital wing.

I worried about her more than Ron, asking Dumbledore twenty questions. I was happy to see her smile when I walked out of the wing; I couldn't help but smile back as big as I could, "And you Hermione?" I asked.

She replied, "Never better."

It was Ron's stupid idea to take the car. Ron's stupid idea to forget to turn on the invisibility. Ron's stupid driving got us into the stupid Whomping Willow who crushed the stupid car to a pulp.

Then the car decided to leave us at Hogwarts. At least it knew where we were supposed to be.

"Hurry up, we're going to miss the feast," I said, dragging my trunk up the flights of stairs with Ron in tow. I was excited to see Hermione. We had wrote one another over the summer, but it wasn't the same. I couldn't hear her voice, feel her skin and warmth.

As I daydreamt, Filtch ran into us and dragged us to Dumbledore's office.

"Do you have any idea the seriousness of what you two did? You threatened the exposure of our world as well as did damage to a tree that has been here since before you were born!" Snape yelled.

"Honestly Professor, I think it did more damage to us."

Stupid.

"Silence! If your punishment were up to me you would be on the train back home…tonight!"

Ron and I looked at each other. Silently I thought, you risked me seeing Hermione you twat.

Thankfully Dumbledore only gave us detention for a week and I was reunited with Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. It was the best hug of my life.

That year I had taken time for granted. Once the Chamber of Secrets was opened, we all knew mudbloods were at risk. Hermione had muggle parents, which put her at risk.

One day, Quidditch had been cancelled and Professor McGonagall escorted me to the hospital wing. Ron was already there, standing over a bed as my heart slammed just a little harder in my chest.

No.

She laid there, face permanently in a state of shock. Her hands and body were ice cold as I ran my fingers over her. "We found her in the library…" In her hand was a mirror, her opposite holding a piece of crumpled paper that held the key to what the monster was in the dungeon. Without her help, that paper, Ron and I would have never solved the mystery.

Face it. Ron and I are defenseless without her.

The determination to reverse Hermione's petrification drove me until the very end, stabbing the basilisk fang into the diary of Tom Marvolo Riddle. Ginny awoke, Ron and I flew back into the safe walls of Hogwarts only to be treated to Hermione's safe arrival that night at dinner.

She ran into my arms, hair trailing behind her with her arms open wide. Her smile radiated light throughout the whole hall, making me smile in return. With Hermione in my arms, it was okay. I held her tightly, brushing my hand over her bush of hair. She smiled at me, touching my face before giving Ron a handshake…

I got a hug, and he got a handshake. Doesn't that say enough about our relationship?

Year Three. Three years gone by. Friendship was beginning to feel less than satisfactory. When I saw her, I couldn't help but smile, taking her in my arms. We sat together on our way to Hogwarts.

"Professor R. J Lupin."

"How does she know these things?" Ron cried, obviously insulted by her intelligence.

"It's on his suitcase, Ronald."

I was used to their bickering at this point, but it made me smile because she was always right.

I told them about what Ron's father had told me: that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban Prision to find me…and murder me.

Then the train stopped suddenly, jerking everyone forward. Ron grabbed his seat as our breath turned to hot vapor. Cold air suddenly leaked throughout the whole train – a feeling of despair, hopelessness, coursed through my veins. I became scared. What was going on?

I looked to Hermione for some sort of reassurance, but she looked just as frightened as I. She looked to me, and then the door where I sea of black stood. It looked like a skeleton coated in black that floated freely over its bones. There was a sound, like a rushing black hole, as it leant forward, sucking the happiness out of me. I couldn't move; it was like I had been petrified.

With a sea of light, the creature backed away and I was left with a woman's screams ringing in my ears.

"Okay, up we go." I heard, hands grabbing at me to pull me up. "Eat this," he said, handing me a slice of chocolate, "It's okay, it's chocolate."

"What was that thing..?" I asked, feeling weak as a shaky hand reached out and grabbed the piece. I bit it off.

"It was a dementor, the guards of Azkaban. They were searching the train for Sirius Black," the professor stood up, "Now if you would excuse me, I'm going to have a word with the driver."

Lupin left. Then I didn't know about the connection between him and my father; that they were best friends in school. That he knew my mother. That he and Sirius were best friends and that Sirius really wasn't a bad person.

"Did you hear that..?" I asked seconds later, aiming it at Hermione. Part of me thought that she had screamed.

"There was no one screaming, Harry…" she replied, her face carrying an expression of worry.

Hermione also had a knack of turning up out of nowhere that year. Not that I minded…I liked her being near.

Ron also had the tendency to lose Scabbers, his pet rat. As he ran after it one time, we landed seriously close to the Whomping Willow. Ron sat there, holding his rat firmly before looking up, fear in his eyes.

"Harry look out! It's the grim!"

Hermione and I turned around, seeing the black dog getting ready to recoil its hind legs. He pounced forward, flying over our heads and running at Ron. Ron yelled as Hermione and I ran forward, jumping and crawling with my hand reached out, attempting to grab Ron's sweaty hands. The dog pulled him beneath the tree, pulling him away from us. The Willow didn't seem to like it as it began to move. Hermione reached forward, grabbing me and pulling me back.

It was too late. The branch knocked me far away from her, my glasses falling off of my face and landing beside me. Of course, I didn't know this because I couldn't bloody see.

I heard her screaming, my hand scrambling to find my glasses. A smile spread across my face, I could see, but then I saw Hermione flying towards me on a branch of the whipping tree. She reached forward, grabbing the front of my shirt and flinging me into the hole that Ron disappeared into. I landed with a thud, dirt rubbing across my shirt and some collecting in my hair. Hermione landed on top of me moments later.

"Ouch."

"sorry…" she replied, both of us standing up. We walked through the small cooridor. Up the stairs, I reached for her hand to keep her close to me. She accepted the gesture, feeling the warmth of her hand against mine, remembering how the year before the warmth through her veins had disappeared.

"We're in the Shrieking Shack.." she whispered, keeping close to me as we walked up the rotating stairs. We heard Ron calling and moved faster, our hands breaking apart.

I felt a part of me had just left.

"Ron! Where's the dog?" I asked, bursting through the door with Hermione behind me. We stayed close together as Ron shook in fear.

"Harry, it's a trap! He's the dog!" Ron pointed forward with a trembling hand as the door shut, revealing a ragged man. His beard was mangly, clothes torn and dirty. It was Sirius Black.

Hermione stepped in front of me, "If you're going to kill him you're going to have to kill us too!"

"No," Sirus said, his eyes flaming, "Only one will die tonight."

"And it'll be you!" I shouted, running forward and locking my hands around his neck. I pulled him to the floor, aiming my wand at his forehead.

He just laughed.

"Are you going to kill me, Harry?"

Lupin arrived.

He disarmed me.

He took Sirus' side, wrapping his arm around him like a brother.

"He's a werewolf!" Hermione cried, pointing her finger at Lupin, still remaining close to me. "That's why he's been missing classes!"

"Well Hermione you really are the brightest witch of your age."

And then Snape arrived.  
>I stunned him…Hermione yelled at me.<p>

"Harry!"

"You attacked a teacher!"

"Tell me about Peter Pettigrew!"

The rat turned into the man who betrayed my parents.

"We'll take him to the castle…then the dementors could have you."

Sirus and I carried Ron out of the tree, letting him sit down beside Hermione. I was jealous, watching her tend to him like a sick child. She ushered me to go to him, to Sirus, and speak to him.

He asked me to live with him. I couldn't help but say yes, that is, until I heard a howling.

I ran back to Hermione, assuming a protecting position in front of him. Lupin's bones cracked, his face morphing into a dog like shape. His feet burst through his shoes, clothes ripping, seams busting as his back curled forward like a cats. Skin turned grey, the normal flushed color disappearing like it had never been there. Sirus was speaking to him, trying to get him to come back, but it was too late. The man had turned into a monster and the thoughts of his past life were gone.

"Wait.." Hermione said calmly, pushing beside me. She stepped towards the monster that was crying softly, "Professor…" she whispered, "Professor Lupin."

The dog howled loudly causing Hermione to walk backwards to Ron and I. It began to step towards us when Snape came towards us through the bottom of the three, threatening to kill us before he heard the monster. He stood in front of us, putting his arms out, Lupin's werewolf form raising a hand and slashing across the professors body.

Sirus charged forward, attacking Lupin in his dog form. There was screeching, screaming and howls, tearing of skin and blood. It killed me.

"Sirius!" I yelled, running forward to try to help my godfather. Snape yelled after me, as did Hermione, but Snape guarded them until I returned.

Moments later, there Sirus lay. His breath slowly escaping him as he tried to catch his last glimmer of hope. I laid beside him, not daring to let him go as dementors flew above us, sucking out our hopes and dreams, every last happy memory. The last thing I saw was a stag, a patronus, and it made me smile before everything turned black.

"Harry!" I heard, my green eyes slowly opening. Hermione appeared there, cuts on her beautiful face. She still looked amazing. "They captured Siris!"

I stood up, "They're going to kill him."

"No, worse.." she looked at me. "They're going to suck out his soul."

We went back in time once Dumbledore showed up. We watched our lives unfold before us.

"This is not normal." I cried, Hermione taking me by the shoulders and slamming me up against the building. She pulled the necklace out of her sweatshirt.

"This, Harry, is a Timeturner. This is how I've been getting to my classes all year."

"You mean, going back in time?"

Hermione nodded, "Yes."

We saved Buckbeak the flying Hippogriff, leading him into the Forbidden Forest and letting him roam free. Hermione and I found a place near an old tree, sitting down. I turned to her, "Now what?"

"We wait.." she replied, sitting beside me and moving closer. She placed her head on my shoulder, sighing deeply.

"Hermione?" I asked, turning my head. It was a couple minutes later. When she didn't respond, I noticed that her eyes were closed, her breathing deep and soothing. Smiling, I wrapped my arm around her, placing my head upon hers. We were like a puzzle piece, fitting together perfectly.

For now.

When I heard Ron yelling after Scabbers and a figure running, I knew it was time to awaken. I nudged Hermione softly, her head moving before whispering a phrase that I couldn't interpret. I smiled, rubbing her shoulder, "Hermione, it's starting."

Moments later, our figured emerged from the Whomping Willow and Professor Lupin was howling at the moon. Hermione and I stood our ground, watching the past (or future) unfold before our eyes.

"Come on," Hermione said, running through the future, our hands clasped together. Our breathing fell in sync as we watched the werewolf slowly step towards me. Well, not me now, but the me in the past. Or future…this is confusing.

Hermione cupped her hands around her mouth, howling like a werewolf. I turned towards her, pulling her hands down from her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving your life. Awoooo!"

The wolf left me alone, only to run towards us.

"Oh great, now it's coming for us."

"Yeah, I didn't think of that," she grabbed my hand, "RUN!"

We ran away from the wolf, hearing its paws tear at ground behind us. Tripping over vines and bushes, our hands held faster, cutting off circulation, breathing being knocked out of us every passing second. She pulled me towards a tree, placing our backs to it as we tried to catch our breathing. The werewolf smelt us, we kept moving around the tree in hopes it wouldn't see us. In a moment we failed, Lupin's form looking at us. I stepped in front of Hermione as it's claws raised, getting ready to crash down.

My arms circled around her, pulling my body fully over hers. If this was the time I would die, I would want her to survive, knowing I sacrificed my own life for hers. I whispered into her ear, "Hermione, I lo…"

There was a screeching sound and we turned around. Buckbeak fended off the werewolf, making him run back into the forest and far away from us. Hermione threw her arms back around me, hugging me tightly. "That was so scary…"

I looked above, seeing numerous black clouds floating towards the pond. "Sirius!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and running once more. We stopped on the opposite side, watching as Dementors floated over Sirius' form, the lake icing over quickly. Him and I were both screaming, Hermione standing behind me. It looked like she was going to cry.

"That's horrible…."

"He'll be here," I said, pointing in front of me, "My dad will be here. Right there."

"Harry, no one is coming." She replied.

I should know better; Hermione is always right.

"You're dying.." she whispered, looking to me. I took a deep breath, thinking of Hermione.

Her arms around me, holding me tight. Her smile, her soft skin. I could feel her; her lips against mine.

It filled me up.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Light emulated from my wand, fighting off the black figures that hovered over me and my godfather. They screamed, fearing the light. I smiled, looking back at Hermione. She too was smiling happily.

"That wasn't my dad. It was me! But I didn't know it…because I wasn't there but I was! Does that make sense?" I turned back to Hermione, her arms tightly fastened around my waist as we flew on the back of the Hippogriff.

"No!" She replied, looking worried. She probably thought I was going crazy.

Buckbeak left us on the top of the castle where Sirius sat in a cell. Hermione ran forward, point her wand and yelling "Bombarda!" causing the door to burst open. Getting Sirius on the back of the Hippogriff, he yelled enthusiastically as he flew through the sky with us. Hermione smiled back at me, my hands running over her waist. I could only smile back at her and hold her close, placing my head on the back of her neck. She didn't notice with all the wind, but I placed a gentle kiss there, letting her know silently that I would always be there for her.

"Harry! Time to get up!" She flashed a candle in my eyes, awakening me from the reoccurring dream that had been plaguing me for months. She smiled at me. "It's the Quidditch tournament today!"

We had the best time together; Hermione standing beside me with her Quidditch colored outfit, screaming and cheering like a man. I looked to her and smiled lots of the time, but she was too busy to notice.

Everything went awry when Death Eaters torched the camp and the Dark Mark was sent into the sky. It was that year the You-Know-Who would return and attempt to capture me as his prey. It was also the year my name was entered in the goblet of fire. The year that Hermione wore a beautiful dress to the Yule Ball.

She helped me so much that year; pushing me to succeed at the Challenges. Rita Skeeter caught us hugging and put it in the Daily Prophet that we were connected romantically. It broke my heart when Hermione was troubled by it because I wasn't.

But the night of the Yule Ball, I was there with one of the Pavarti sisters. She turned around, gaping at someone behind me. I was too busy looking at Cho Chang, who was actually giving me the time of day.

Well…sort of.

"She's beautiful." She commented, looking behind me.

I nodded, saying 'yeah' without any idea of who she meant. When I looked at her, I turned around and saw Hermione walking down the stairs. She was clad in a beautiful dress, her once frizzy hair gone, makeup applied perfectly. Hermione Granger was no longer a little girl, but a young woman, who was becoming more beautiful with each passing day.

Viktor Krum extended his hand as Hermione smiled, taking it and waving to me with a bright smile that reached her ears. I couldn't help but allow the jealous bubble up inside of me.

At least I had Ron to share it with.

Needless to say, we kind of ruined the party for our dates.

During the second challenge, Ron and Hermione were both tied underwater. I swam towards Hermione once I freed Ron, attempting to cut her loose. A monster came up to me, pushing me away. "She's not yours!"

Yes she is, I thought. I love her. She is mine.

Above water, I was awarded second place for freeing Fleur's sister as well as Ron. Hermione smiled at me, shaking me yelling, "SECOND PLACE!" She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly.

Even after coming out of freezing cold water, she was still warm.

"Everything is going to change now, isn't it?" She questioned, looking at Ron and I. I turned around, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Yes."

"Harry," Hermione whispered, taking my hand and looking on the back of it. "You need to report this."

"I can't, Hermione. You don't understand." I replied, "Dumbledore already has enough on his plate."

She looked at me worriedly as Ron tried to read his Potions book. Her fingertips kept rolling over the scar on my hand that read 'I must not tell lies.'

"She's horrible." She whispered, our faces close.

"I just need to focus on the D.A," I said, standing up, "I was thinking of teaching the Patronus charm."

She smiled.

"Now think of a powerful memory!" I yelled to all of my students, watching light flow like water from several wands. "Allow it to fill you up."

I heard Hermione giggle as her otter swam around her. An otter reminded me of Hermione; smart and clever, but brilliantly intelligent. I placed my hand on her back in reassurance, smiling. "Great job."

"Thanks Harry." She replied as I walked over to Cho Chang. She smiled at me as I held her wand higher.

I only kissed Cho because I knew Hermione was falling for Ron. It's the worst feeling, you know, watching someone you love fall for someone else. There's this darkness multiplying in the pit of your stomach, but you try to not let it take you over. Without even thinking, you let it. Because you know you'll be heartbroken but you'll do anything you can just to hold them, to kiss them, to tell them that you love them and you're better than anyone else.

I couldn't do that to her, though. I knew she loved Ron, or that she was strongly beginning to like him. I knew this because of the Yule Ball the past year; how Ron acted, making Hermione jealous. He did attempt to ask her, but she got mad because he was only asking her because she was a girl. I thought it was funny he got rejected, but I had to act like I was sorry.

But my God she looked so beautiful that night…with her smile and pink lips. That's what I thought of while kissing Cho Chang, and that's what I thought of when I saw a Death Eater holding a wand to her head.

Her life was in my hands, so I handed the prophesy over. She was let go and we left the Ministry…without Sirius.

She flew behind me on our way back, her eyes constantly on me. She flew up to me. We were behind everyone else.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she called, moving her Thestral towards mine. She jumped off of hers and onto mine, allowing her Thestral to move freely through the world. I knew that it would return to Hogwarts with us, but I felt so numb.

Even as she wrapped her arms around me, placing her head against my back, I felt so cold. Even with the warmth of her touch and the softness of her skin. I felt empty…and I would feel that way for a while.

"You don't think I know.." she cried softly on the stairs, our fingers intertwined. "About Ginny." Hermione turned to me, sobbing as tears fell from her eyes. "I see the way you look at her, Harry."

I sighed, holding Hermione close as Ron and Lavender galloped in front of us. Ron stopped, holding Lavenders hand as she giggled like a little girl. "Oh, hey guys."

Hermione just looked at him before standing up and casting a spell, sending a bunch of birds after him in anger. Ron and Lavender ran before Hermione sat down beside me, burying her head in my shoulder, tears soaking through my shirt.

I wrapped my arm around her but she shrugged it away. In the pit of my stomach, I knew she was rejecting me, but I didn't want that. So I tried again and she let it happen. I moved, pulling her onto my lap as she cried – heartbroken, taken advantage of. This isn't the way to treat someone who loves you. I would let Ron know that; that she's broken and he should fix her. But he was too caught up in his romance with Lavender to even care.

When Ron was poisoned by a cup of bad wine, Hermione sat by his bedside, holding his hand. Lavender came in, boiling.

"What is she doing here?" She cried. Hermione stood up.

I kind of wanted a girl fight but that's every teenage boys dream.

"I'm his friend."

"Well I'm his girlfriend…"

Moments later.

"He's been poisoned you daft dimbo!"

Okay, she definitely likes him.

"R.A.B.." Hermione whispered.

"I need to finish what Dumbledore started," I said, turning to them.

"We'll go with you." Hermione chimed in, Ron nodding behind her.

She was still mad at him.

"It's far too dangerous."

"Harry," she smiled. "We're in this together."

We were on a journey. We danced, we laid in bed together at night. We solved stories and dreamt of each other at night. I woke up with her by my side, fast asleep and calm. She cried sometimes and I would hold her. I'd dance with her just to make her smile.

I loved it when she smiled.

We battled forces that couldn't be reckoned with. I sacrificed myself so those who love me wouldn't have to die.

She ran up to me, hugging me as tightly as she ever could. Tears were running down her cheeks as were mine. Ron stood away, taking in what was going to happen. She kissed my cheek, cupping my face in her hands as she backed away, Ron's arm snaking around her waist and holding her tight. Even as I walked away, I heard her cry. A lump formed in my throat. Perhaps I should go back, tell her I love her. Tell her all of the moments that have passed over these seven years have made me fallen even more in love with her. Tell her that I was planning to kiss her that night we danced in our tent, that I enjoyed sitting with her while we awaited our life to unfold in our third year. That when she yelled at Ron it made me smile and I loved her intellect and how she knew everything.

That I love the warmth of her touch, the silk of her skin. Her lips and brown eyes with golden flecks.

How she comforted me; she always knew what to say.

That I love holding her whether she's crying or not. That when we were on the back of Buckbeak four years ago I kissed the back of her neck but she didn't even notice because of the wind. That when we returned from the Ministry she made me feel better about losing the last family member I ever had.

That I wanted to be a family with her and have children that are brave and smart. That I want children with her hair and my eyes; her soft skin, her smile. I wanted her forever.

But I would never say those things. Because she was happy with Ron.

And when you love someone, you have to let them be happy. Even when it's not with you.


End file.
